Improvement in chairs



,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL J. SIMMONS, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHAIRS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,051, dated June 16, 1I74; application filed March 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. SIMMONS, of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled 'in the art to which it pertains toA make and use it, reference being had 'to the accompanying drawing, which forms -part of this specification.

In such drawing, Figure 1 denotes a side elevation of my invention in its most contracted form, the same constituting' a. rigid oflice-chair. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of the chair in an extended state, the same constitu-ting an easy-chair to rest the head, back, and shoulders, and allow the chairback to rock back and forth. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the chair in an extended state, or with the back elevated.

Myinvention is designed for an ofrice-chair, and has for its object the production of a chair possessing all the advantages of the ordinary chair, with others not incident thereto; and my invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of its several parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the dra-wings, A A A A-denote the legs and posts of an ordinary office-chair, B being the seat, and C C the arm-rests, secured to the top ofthe posts. D is the back, the same being hinged or pivoted, at its lower end, to two pitmen, E E, which, in turn, are pivoted to two bars, a a, thelatter being, respectively, connected tothe side rungs or rounds I) b, as shown in the drawing, such connection of the back enabling it to be either raised or lowered, as circumstances may require. E is a curved metallic bar, which extends across the rea-r face ofthe chair-back, and has its ends extending through the side posts A, such bar serving to support the back ofthe chair. On each end of the said bar is an adjustable arm or nut, to which is affixed one end of a rubber or other suitable spring, c, the other end of such springs being connected to the under side of the arm-rest, as shown in the drawing, the object of such spring being to .enable the back'of the chair, when brought into the po- .sition as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to form an elastic easy support for a persons head and back, and enable him to give a gentle rocking motion thereto.

I would remark that the rear portions of the arms might be formed straight, and the springs and the ends of the metallic bar F be embedded therein, and coiled-Wire springs instead of rubber ones be employed.

Furthermore, on each rear portion of the chair-frame, and near the upper portion there of, is affixed a curved bar or catch, e, the same being to receive pins or projections d d, extending from opposite sides ofthe back frame, such serving, when the chair-back is brought to its lowest position, or as shown in Fig. l, to maintain the parts in a fixed rigid state. There are also two pins, ff, projecting from the rear part of the back frame, and, near the middle thereof, the same, when the back is brought into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, resting upon the bar F, andserving to maintain the back in such elevated position.

Having described the construction of my improved chair, its operation is as follows: If we suppose the back of the chair to be. in the position as shown in Fig. l, and desire to elevate it into the position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, we have simply to take hold of the top part of the back, and draw it slightly inward and upward to the desired height, when, by pushing it slightly back, the pins j' f will catch upon the bar F, and hold the back in such position.

If in position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and we desire to restore it to the position shown in Fig. 1, we take hold of the top, and move it slightly inward and downward, until the pins el l pass into the catches e e, when the whole will be rigidly locked or secured together.

Having described the construction and 0peration of my invention, what I claim isrlhe combination, with the chair frame A, constructed as described, and provided with hooks upon the arms, as shown, of the back D, pitmen E E, bar F, and elastic bands or springs c c, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of February, 1874.

Vitnesses: SAML. J. SIMMONS. F. P. HALE, F. C. HALE. 

